Steven Disla is the Instructional Designer for the Center for Nutrition Studies and helped create the latest certificate program which focuses on the nexus between food, the environment, and governmental and economic policy. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Asheville with degrees in Mass Communication and International Studies. Currently he is working on developing a permaculture food forest in North Carolina.

The EAT-Lancet Diet: A First Step toward a Healthier Planet and Healthier People
The EAT-Lancet Diet: A First Step toward a Healthier Planet and Healthier People

As the global population climbs toward ten billion and environmental pressures intensify, the connection between what we eat and the health of the planet is clearer than ever. Food production is a leading driver of environmental degradation, fueling climate change, deforestation, freshwater depletion, pollution, and biodiversity loss. In fact, agriculture is pushing us beyond at … Continued


Planetary Boundaries 101: What They Are, Why They Matter, and How Food Impacts Each One
Planetary Boundaries 101: What They Are, Why They Matter, and How Food Impacts Each One

Planetary boundaries are a set of scientifically defined environmental limits within which humanity can sustainably survive. These thresholds establish a “safe operating space” for human development, ensuring that the earth’s systems remain stable and resilient. Crossing these boundaries increases the risk of triggering large-scale, potentially irreversible environmental changes. The concept was introduced in 2009 by … Continued


How to Reduce Your Water Footprint through Smarter Food Choices
How to Reduce Your Water Footprint through Smarter Food Choices

Water is often described as the most essential element for life on Earth, yet it is a resource we frequently take for granted, especially when it comes to the food we eat. While we may be mindful of turning off the faucet while brushing our teeth or fixing leaky taps, the vast majority of our … Continued


How Our Food Choices Could Help Reforest the Planet
How Our Food Choices Could Help Reforest the Planet

The global food system lies at the center of some of today’s most urgent environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and deforestation. Yet it also offers one of our greatest opportunities: the chance to reforest vast areas of the planet by rethinking what we eat. Nearly half of the world’s habitable land is currently … Continued


The Hidden Cost of Glyphosate: Milkweed and Monarchs
The Hidden Cost of Glyphosate: Milkweed and Monarchs

Monarch butterflies have long captured the hearts of millions. Their delicate orange-and-black wings, extraordinary migration spanning thousands of miles from Canada to Mexico, and symbolic connection to transformation make them one of nature’s most beloved creatures. Monarchs are more than just insects: they’re a miracle of evolution and a source of wonder. But beneath their … Continued


Toxic Trade-Offs: How Banned Pesticides Still Enter the US Food Supply
Toxic Trade-Offs: How Banned Pesticides Still Enter the US Food Supply

Despite growing scientific consensus around the dangers of certain pesticides, many of these chemicals continue to be produced, used, and consumed around the world—even in countries where they’ve officially been banned. This global dissonance is particularly stark when comparing pesticide regulations in the European Union (EU) and the United States. Relying heavily on the precautionary … Continued


Pesticides—Adapting Chemicals of War
Pesticides—Adapting Chemicals of War

The story of pesticides is not merely one of agricultural innovation; it is also a story of militarism, industrial expansion, ecological upheaval, and a conflicted relationship with the natural world.


Can Organic Farming Feed the World?
Can Organic Farming Feed the World?

In the ongoing debate between conventional and organic farming, it’s commonly believed that conventional agriculture is necessary to meet the growing global demand for food. However, decades of research from the Rodale Institute show that organic farming can not only match but often outperform conventional methods in terms of yield, sustainability, and profitability.


Fish Farming and Aquatic Life
Fish Farming and Aquatic Life

Aquatic ecosystems worldwide are facing severe challenges according to nearly every available metric. Recent reports indicate that shark and stingray populations have been halved since 1970, trends which echo earlier studies showing a 49% decline in fish populations between 1970 and 2012.[1][2] Today, nearly 90% of global marine fish stocks are fully exploited, overexploited, or … Continued


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